I have started to use my OpenPOWER/POWER9 workstation extensively. I
still have to say that I feel better in front of my old good SGI O2 but
there are tasks that require much more power (and some times better
compatibility with world around me, too).
As you may know my new computer is a Raptor CS Blackbird. It is
something which was called a "low-end workstation" in the past. So it
is a logical replacement of my low-end SGI O2 workstation.
I still use my Blackbird in configuration from late summer: 4-core
POWER9 CPU with active cooling, 16 GB of RAM, 512GB SSD and with the
integrated 2D graphics. I have not found nor time nor reasons for
upgrade (I have a Radeon, further 16 GB of ram and the second SSD
already prepared). My OS is still the Fedora 30 (I should upgrade it to
the 31 in next future). I am not exactly happy with it but it works OK.
Available software is sometimes different than what is offered by the
Debian/Ubuntu. For example, there is x86_64 cross-compiler and the
SnowNews RSS reader but there is no libGD, among others. There is also
no Chromnium (I don't like that browser much bus some people thing than
making software in form of Chrome plugins only is a good practice...).
Some software is still not available compiled for the POWER and I'm not
brave enough to compile it by myself (the MAME with SGI/MIPS support
and more importantly the LLNL VisIt).
Now I use this computer for most of my WWW browsing (I still use the
Links browser heavily and the Firefox only for sites where is is
necessary), for "office" work (for the cases when use of LibreOffice
is unavoidable), for actual computing (FEA stuff and GNU Octave
computations), for image management and so.
Actually I still prefer to write my LaTeX documents on the IRIX (SGI
O2) machine - I like older tools better. I often use vector images made
by the XFig and the Gnuplot (I use the Gnuplot both directly and
through the GNU Octave). If I am not mistaken I still made no single
XFig drawing on the Blackbird so far - I have been making them on the
O2. My Palm IIIx is also synchronised with the O2, not with the
Blackbird (it should be no problem as I have a proper adapter).
This week I experienced my very first RAM shortage on the Blackbird. So
I should install the second 16GB RAM stick soon...
Written on the Palm Tungsten W with an external keyboard.